(A) Prior to issuing a certificate of registration, the Ohio athletic commission shall require an athlete agent to submit proof of one of the following securities:

(1) A surety bond in the amount of fifteen thousand dollars in favor of the state of Ohio for the benefit of any person who is injured by a violation of this chapter or rules adopted under this chapter;

(2) A certificate of deposit in favor of, or a savings account assigned to, the state of Ohio for the benefit of any person that is injured by a violation of this chapter or rules adopted under this chapter, in the amount of fifteen thousand dollars;

(3) Certification from an insurance carrier indicating that the athlete agent has obtained professional malpractice insurance in an amount equal to, or greater than, fifty thousand dollars, or a lesser amount, as permitted by the commission. An athlete agent shall present evidence of a bond, a certificate of deposit, an assigned savings account, or professional malpractice insurance in the manner prescribed by the commission.

(B) The commission shall hold on deposit, as an agent of the state, any surety bond or other form of security deposited with the commission by an athlete agent. The commission shall hold the security in trust contingent on an athlete agent's compliance with all provisions of this chapter including the payment of all moneys owed to an athlete, group of athletes, educational institution, or institution of higher education, and the payment of all damages other than punitive damages due as the result of a misstatement, misrepresentation, fraudulent act, deceit, or unlawful or negligent act or omission by an athlete agent in the course of serving as an athlete agent, or by a representative or employee of an athlete agent when the representative or employee acted within the scope of the representative's or employee's authority. The commission may use funds held on deposit for an athlete agent to pay debts owed by an athlete agent as described in this division pursuant to a court or administrative order specifying the obligation of the athlete agent.

(C) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the liability of an athlete agent to the amount of the surety bond, malpractice coverage, or other security held on deposit by the commission.

(D) An athlete agent shall maintain the security required under this section. If an athlete agent fails to maintain the security as required under this section, the commission shall suspend the registration of the athlete agent until the athlete agent provides evidence of the bond, certificate of deposit, assigned savings account, or professional malpractice insurance, as required under this section.

(E) The liability of the surety on a bond described in division (A) of this section shall not exceed the sum of fifteen thousand dollars in the aggregate for all persons who are injured by any and all violations of this chapter or rules adopted under this chapter.

(F) A surety may cancel a bond described in division (A) of this section after mailing a written notice to the athlete agent and the commission stating that the bond cancels sixty days after that notice is mailed. The liability of the surety for acts of the athlete agent continues during that sixty-day period. The cancellation notice does not absolve the surety from liability that accrues before the cancellation date but that is discovered after that date.

(G) The commission shall return the surety bond or other form of security held by the commission under this section to the athlete agent submitting the bond or security, two years after the person ceases to serve as an athlete agent in this state.

Effective Date: 03-22-2001 .